Tuesday, September 23, 2014

HERBAL TRIVIA

Herbs are rich in history, uses and folklore.Let’s share some unique facts about herbs in a fun way with a little Herbal Trivia Test compiled from a couple sources and see just how much you really know about herbs and spices!

1. Which spice is harvested from the stamens of a beautiful purple crocus?

2. Cilantro comes from which seed, also commonly used to flavor food?

3. What spice, according to Malaysian folklore, had the power to protect against crocodiles?

4. In a botanical name, what does spp. stand for?

5. Some common French names for what plant are “Pissenlit” and “Dent-de-lion”?

6. What herb is nicknamed “the royal herb”?

7. What herb was once utilized as an antidote for poisoned arrows? Today, it is used to thicken culinary dishes and in body care preparations.

8. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which herb is for remembrance?

9. The essential oil distilled from what spice is used by Fishermen to disguise their scent when fishing?

10. Which herb provides the salicylic acid from which aspirin was originally synthesized?

11. Which North American herb was named for the gold color of its rhizome?

12. Which plant produces sweetly perfumed flowers, but has roots that smell like “old socks” that cats love even more than catnip?

13. The French claimed which herb could ward off dragons plus cure the bite of reptiles and mad dogs?

14. Which herb, used in a famous type of liqueur, has been credited for the birth of the Impressionist art movement?

15. What herb was once believed to be eaten by serpents to improve their eyesight, making it easier to attack their victims.

16. Which herb has notoriously stinky fruit and is grown only from cultivated sources?

17. The Aztecs made hot chocolate using powdered Cacao beans, and which spice?

18. Which spice is nicknamed “Seeds of Paradise”?

19. In Beatrix Potter’s Tales of Peter Rabbit, what herbal tea does Peter’s mother give him to drink once that he returns from the cabbage patch?

20. The Egyptians made fabric from which plant to wrap their mummies in?

21. What is the herb that is said to ward off evil, protect our homes, shrink warts, remove parasites, relieve pain and chase colds away, this plant is sometimes referred to as the “Stinking Rose”?

22. What herb gets its name from the Sanskrit word for “horn root”?

23. Which herb will produce a deep red color when the fresh flowers are bruised or infused in oil?

24. Which herb was once used in the Hebrew temples during ritual cleansings of lepers?

25. Which herb was regarded as a symbol of immortality by the Greeks and Romans?

Trivia Answers:

1. Saffron (Crocus sativus)

2. Coriander Seed (Coriandrum sativum)

3. Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

4. Species

5. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

6. Basil (Ocimum basilium)

7. Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea)

8. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

9. Anise Seed (Pimpinella anisum)

10. Willow Bark (Salyx alba)

11. Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)

12. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)

13. Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

14. Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)

15. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

16. Gingko (Ginkgo biloba)

17. Chili peppers (Capsicum annuum)

18. Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum)

19. Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile or Anthemis nobilis)

20. Flax (Linum usitatissimum)

21. Garlic (Allium sativum)

22. Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

23. St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)

24. Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)

25. Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)

“God uses us to spread His knowledge everywhere like a sweet smelling perfume. Our offering to God is this: We are the sweet smell of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are being lost.”II Corinthians 2:14-15

Favorite Sources for Tea, Herbs and Gourmet Garden Products

Publications

Several free publications are available on tea, herbs and gardens which include recipes and instructions plus lots of information

The Herbal Gourmet

Joyce Harris, also known as The Herbal Gourmet, is a certified tea specialist with a love of everything herbal that God has provided in our world. My desire is to share the knowledge and experience on the use of herbs, including tea, obtained as a former herb nursery and gourmet tea & herb shop owner to bless others and inspire them to pass on the blessings.